The invention relates to a container molding process. More particularly, the invention relates to systems for cooling molds used to mold containers.
It will be understood that to form a polyolefin continuous extrusion blow-molded plastic container, a parison can be heated in an extruder, captured by a mold, and blown in the mold. Specifically, to form the cavity of the container, a parison can be extruded up into the mold and as the mold comes together, a pneumatic blow pin, for example, can pierce the parison and blow the parison up against the walls of the mold. The mold typically contains flash pockets above and below the cavity in the mold to capture the excess of the parison that is forced above and below the cavity. When the parison is blown inside the mold, it is forced into the flash pockets and portions of the parison must adhere together. The excess flash can then be cut away from the container after it is ejected from the mold.
Before the container can be ejected from the mold, it must cool to a predetermined temperature. The production rate of a blow mold machine if often limited by the amount of time needed to cool a molded container before it can be ejected from its mold.